Best Starter Microphone for YouTube

There are a variety of different microphones available on the market that provide decent quality audio. But with so many options available, how can you know what the best option for you is? In this article, you'll learn all about what I feel is the best starter microphone for YouTube.

Finding the Best Starter Microphone for YouTube

As I mentioned, there are a lot of microphones available that claim to provide high-quality audio recording capabilities. Due to this, it's pretty difficult to determine what the best starter microphone for YouTube really is.

Now, I've been creating YouTube videos for a long time. Due to this, I've had the luxury of being able to try out a variety of different kinds of microphones. I've tried some of the most popular microphones like the Blue Yeti and the Audio-Technica AT2020 USB. Along with this, I've tried some less popular microphones.

Eventually, I managed to discover what I feel is the best option for people looking to produce a high-quality audio recording without needing to spend a large amount of money. What is this option? The Samson Q2U handheld dynamic USB microphone!

What Makes the Samson Q2U a Good Starter Microphone for YouTube?

With all the different microphones available on the market, you're probably wondering what makes the Samson Q2U a good starter microphone for YouTube. Is it the sound? Could it possibly be the build quality? Maybe it's the flexibility or ease of use? Believe it or not, it's actually all of these things!

Sound Quality

When I first heard the sound quality for the Samson Q2U, I thought I was listening to a microphone worth at least 3 times the price. If you do any research into this particular microphone, you'll see that a lot of people are also surprised by how good the audio recording quality is.

Personally, I think this microphone has better audio quality than more expensive mics like the Blue Yeti and Audio-Technica AT2020 USB. Mind you, these mics are condenser microphones, whereas the Q2U is a dynamic mic. I just find that the Yeti and AT2020 USB are always praised for their quality, so it's interesting to see a microphone that costs half as much as these two popular mics perform so well.

Overall, the Samson Q2U has fantastic sound quality and will allow you to produce high-quality interviews, podcasts, commentaries, etc with ease.

Build Quality

Many people see the price of the Q2U and think that it will be a delicate, cheap-feeling microphone. The thing is, this couldn't be further from the truth. The build quality of the microphone is actually incredible. It feels extremely sturdy and well put together- the opposite of cheap.

I remember when I first took the Samson Q2U out of the box it came in when I ordered it. I couldn't believe the physical size of the microphone (I was expecting a small, plastic product). When I held onto the microphone for the first time, it felt like a legitimate piece of audio equipment- not a toy.

So, if you decide to purchase this microphone for yourself, expect a high quality, sturdy microphone.

Flexibility and Ease of Use

One of the more unique features of the Samson Q2U microphone is the fact that it can be used in multiple ways. Meaning, there is a USB input and also an XLR input. So, you can either plug the mic directly into your computer, or you can use it with a soundboard. As you can imagine, this makes it very easy to upgrade your audio recording setup down the road. With this said, I'm very impressed with the USB input recording quality. So, a soundboard is 100% not needed (or really recommended for new content creators).

Along with the flexibility of the microphone inputs, it's also quite flexible physically. What I mean by this is, because of the style of the mic, you can hold it in your hand or place it in a stand. Personally, I use it in a stand, but some people enjoy physically holding the microphone in their hand.

Overall, this microphone is incredibly flexible on the hardware side and also the physical build side. You can simply plug the mic into your computer using the USB input, or you can use an XLR soundboard. You can place the microphone on a stand, or you can hold it. Whatever you prefer, this microphone will allow you to record your audio in the way you find most comfortable.

Is the Samson Q2U the Right Microphone for You?

You now know why I feel the Samson Q2U is the best starter microphone for YouTube. It's very cost-friendly, high quality, and easy to use. But, is this microphone the right microphone for you and your needs?

Due to the sound quality, build quality, flexibility, ease of use, and price, I feel like this particular microphone is a really good starter microphone for YouTube. Whether you're recording interviews, podcasts, commentaries, etc this microphone can help you produce high-quality voice recordings.

But what about the Blue Yeti, Audio-Technica AT2020 USB, and other popular mics? These microphones aren't terrible, but I find the Samson Q2U is much more cost-effective and even performs better in most situations.

Some people prefer condenser microphones because they can be further away from your mouth and still pick up sound quite well. However, due to the sensitivity of condenser mics, they also pick up a lot of background noise. Dynamic microphones, however, do the complete opposite. While your mouth needs to be close to dynamic microphones, they reject background noise incredibly well and provide a more clean and crisp voice recording.

If you do decide to pick up the Samson Q2U, I highly recommend pairing it with a microphone stand. I personally use the Neewer NB-35 microphone stand, as it allows me to get the microphone nice and close to my mouth while allowing me to record comfortably.

Overall, the Samson Q2U is a fantastic microphone and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone looking to record high-quality audio voice recordings.